Moroccan watermelon with orange blossom and mint

The Maghrebi summer afternoon: cold watermelon fragrant with orange blossom water and scattered with fresh spearmint, a preparation that distils the North African flavour palette into its simplest form

Origin: Morocco (Marrakesh, Fez, and the Atlantic Coast)

From the journey of Watermelon.

Arab traders and horticulturalists, carrying watermelon seeds across North Africa during the Islamic Golden Age, established watermelon cultivation throughout the Maghreb (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya), where the hot, dry summers of the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastal lowlands produced fruits of extraordinary sweetness. Orange blossom water (ma' al-zahar), distilled from the blossoms of the bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), is one of the foundational aromatics of Moroccan cookery, used in pastries (baklava, briouats), in the mint tea ceremony, and in fruit preparations across the country. Fresh spearmint (nana), a cultivar particularly associated with Morocco, is used in every glass of Moroccan atay (mint tea). The combination of cold watermelon, fragrant orange blossom water, and spearmint captures the three-part Moroccan flavour aesthetic of sweetness, perfume, and herbal freshness, and is served throughout the day in the summer months, from breakfast tables in Fez to beachside cafes on the Atlantic coast.

Ingredients

base

1.2 kg cold watermelon, rind removed, cut into triangles or rough cubes

dressing

2 tbsp orange blossom water (ma' al-zahar, food-grade distilled), not orange extract or orange oil

herbs

1 large handful fresh spearmint or common mint leaves, roughly torn

seasoning

0.5 tsp flaky sea salt

optional dressing

1 tbsp culinary argan oil (optional), cold-pressed, food-grade, with a nutty, earthy flavour

Method

Refrigerate the watermelon for at least 2 hours. It should be very cold.
Arrange the cold watermelon on a wide, flat serving platter. In Moroccan presentation, large triangular pieces are customary: generous and unfussy.
Sprinkle the orange blossom water evenly over the watermelon. It should be present in every bite but not overwhelming.
Tear the mint leaves and scatter over the watermelon.
Finish with a small amount of flaky salt. If using argan oil, drizzle it in very fine threads over the prepared dish: it is intensely flavoured and a little goes a long way.
Serve immediately, with warm flatbread if desired.

Notes

Orange blossom water (ma' al-zahar) is available at Middle Eastern, French, and North African food stores and widely online. Avoid orange extract and orange oil, which are far more concentrated and will overwhelm the dish. The culinary argan oil should be food-grade cold-pressed oil, not cosmetic argan oil, which is processed differently and is not suitable for eating. Culinary argan oil is available from specialist Moroccan food importers and some large supermarkets.

The Gastrographer

Name: Moroccan watermelon with orange blossom and mint
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Morocco
Ingredients: 1.2 kg cold watermelon, rind removed, cut into triangles or rough cubes; 2 tbsp orange blossom water (ma' al-zahar, food-grade distilled), not orange extract or orange oil; 1 large handful fresh spearmint or common mint leaves, roughly torn; 0.5 tsp flaky sea salt; 1 tbsp culinary argan oil (optional), cold-pressed, food-grade, with a nutty, earthy flavour

Mapping Culinary History

To explore — select an ingredient below.

To explore — select an ingredient below · click any location dot on the map for recipes and stories · browse the information panel on the right · trace the full journey on the timeline.

Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control